Astonishingly bad app – Harman Kardon Remote Review

The HK Remote app is garbage. I don’t know who designed the interface, but it is really bad. The user has no idea if it is working or not and has cryptic things like a “+” sign to add a speaker, with no labeling. Then when I did try to add my Aura 3, it says to connect with the cable or via Bluetooth. After connecting via Bluetooth, it gives no indication the connection is successful not does it move on automatically. The user is left to guess that he has to click “Step 2” which is grey like the rest of the interface (yeah, cool. Not.) and looks nothing like a button. On the next screen there is a button (ah, now a button) that says to Share Wifi settings. Click. Nothing. But the labels below say it will flash one thing when successful and twice (or something like that) when not successful. Seems it was not successful but nothing happened. Manual set up didn’t work any better. When it gets to the stage of searching for wifi networks, it “spins” endlessly without finding any networks. Unfortunately I bought my HK Aura 3 several months ago or I would return it. It sits on a shelf in my office. Very time I want to stream music to it I have to turn it on again. There appears to be no sleep mode. So, manually turn it on. Then reconnect to it in Bluetooth settings on the iOS device. Works great until the next session when I have to turn it on again. What’a the point of having a remote/streaming speaker if you have to do this every time? You might as well be tethered to it. Was hoping that the remote app would solve the problems of the hardware. It didn’t. Too bad. When it works it’s an ok speaker. Harmon Kardon, how about hiring a decent developer and UI designer?
Review by lakelm on Harman Kardon Remote.